LAWN TENNIS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25380, 31 December 1947, Page 6

LAWN TENNIS

CANTERBURY TITLES DECIDED ANGAS BEATS SMITH IN STRAIGHT .SETS The Wellington veteran C. Angas wen the Canterbury men’s singles championship title, when the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association’s Christmas tournament was concluded at Wilding Park yesterday. Angas has now won the title on nine occasions, the first being in 1928. Apart from a few isolated cases, play throughout the tournament was of a disappointing standard. Other championship winners were:— Men’s Doubles—R. G. Pattinson and R. A. H Howe. Women’s Singles.—Miss J. Mac Gibbon. Women’s Doubles.—Mrs I. Hatherley and Miss T. Poole. Mixed Doubles.—R. G. Pattinson and Mrs H. Lane. The Angas-Smith final was a disappointing spectacle. Smith was well below his best form, and Angas had only to hit the ball over the net for Smith invariably to make mistakes. Smith, who contested three finals during the day, had had a strenuous time throughout the tournament and appeared to be v§ry tired. In two sets Smith won only one game, and this was because of three weak returns by Angas. The latter won 53 points to Smith’s 26. Smith went to the net on 20 occasions, and was beaten in that position 14 times. Angas did not use the net so much, and Smith passed him on only three occasions. Angas won the match without any effort in two straight sets, 6-1, 6-0. The women’s singles final was a hardfought match. Miss Mac Gibbon did not settle down in the first set. which she

lost 2-6, and was down 2-0 in the second before she gained her form. She then outplayed Mrs Lawrence and clearly had the upper hand for the rest of the match. Miss MacGibbc-n was content to play most of her shots from the back line, and she probably would have won more points had she used the net more often. When she settled down she gave a faultless display of driving to either side of the court, and she made Mrs Lawrence do most of the running. Miss Mac Gibbon’s success was a popular one.

Men’s Doubles Final The form revealed by R. G. Pattinson and R. A. H. Howe in the final of the men’s doubles was easily the best of the tournament. In the first set of their match with Smith and A. R. Cant, Howe in particular was in great form, and time and again his drives left- both his opponents standing. Pattinson and Howe won this set 6-2, lost the second 6-1, and won the third 6-3. Half of the 24 games played went to deuce, and it was the better finish of both Pattinson and Howe that made the difference.

Smith again made many errors In this match, and there was not the sting in his play that was expected from him. Smith’s loss of form appeared to affect Cant, who made many weak returns, and his lob shots were poor. Pattinson and Howe’s play at times reached a brilliant standard, and their opponents’ logs of form did not in any way detract from their meritorious win. In the final game of the match the winning pair had four match points before winning the game. The women's doubles final was an entertaining match and much credit for the win must go to Miss T. Pbole, whose net play gained many points. Only on one or two occasions was she beaten at the net. She also made several grand recoveries from what seemed almost impossible positions. Doxyn 5-3 in the first set. Mrs Hatherly and Miss Poole fought back strongly and drew level at 5-5. Mesdames Donnithorne and Lane then won the next game after having the advantage four times. Two good smashes by Miss Poole won the next game, and scores were again equal, 6-6. In the next two games Mesdames Donnithorne and Lane won onlv two points and the set went to Mrs Hatherley and Miss Poole, 8-6. Although tbev won the next and final set 6-2, the latter pair had to fight hard all the time. There were many long rallies in this match, and the difference between the two pairs was closer than the scoring would indicate. Only one handicap final was left for the last day. Miss J. Sellars defeating Miss N. Walker in the final of the women’s singles. Results of matches played yesterday were as follows: CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS Men’s Singles Final.—C. Angas beat W. J. Smith, 6-1, 6-0. Men’s Doubles Final.—R. G. Pattinson and R. A. H. Howe beat W. J. Smith and A. R. Cant, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3. Women’s Singles Final.—Miss J. Mac Gibbon beat Mrs M. Lawrence, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3. Women’s Doubles Final.—Mrs I. Hatherley and Miss T. Poole beat Mesdames H. Lane and D. Donnithorne, 8-6, 6-2. . Mixed Doubles Quarter-final.—R. A. H. Howe and Mrs I Hatherley beat J. Bushell and-Miss A Reese, 10-8, 6-3. Semi-finals.—R. G. Pattinson and Mrs H. Lane beat D. F. Radford and Miss M. Robertson, 6-2, 6-8, 6-2; Smith and Miss J 3 i' e beat Howe and Mrs Hatherley, Final.—Pattinson and Mrs Lane beat Smith and Miss Poole, 6-3, 6-4. HANDICAP EVENTS Women’s Singles Final.—Miss J. Sellars (owe 3-6) beat Miss N. Walker (owe 15), 9-4.

NORTH ISLAND TITLES

J. E. ROBSON BEATS R. S. MCKENZIE

MISS M. BEVERLEY WINS WOMEN'S SINGLES (P.A.) NEW PLYMOUTH, Dec. 30. J. E. Robson (Otago) beat the New Zealand champion. R. S. McKenzie (Wellington) in the final of the men’s singles at the North Island lawn tennis championships at Hawera to-day. Although Robson won In two straight sets, the players were very even and nearly everv game went to advantage. The New Zealand women’s champion. Miss M. Beverley (Auckland) beat Miss E. Attwood (Auckland) in the final of the women’s singles. The weather was fine and apart from a fairly strong wind, nearlv perfect. The courts were very fast and ‘inclined to be a little slippery. Excellent tennis was seen in the men’s singles final Robson was on the top ot his game. He scored many service aces which were too hot to return. He worked strenuously to catch McKenzie out of

position, while his judgment with his driving was superb. McKenzie’s backhand shots were brilliant. Robson, in the first set, had two games in hand before McKenzie took his first. The score went to 3-3, when McKenzie took a lead of two games. Robson equalled at 5-5 and took the fi " a ‘ t 'Y° games. Robson held the lead throughout the second set, except when McKenzie took two games in sucCC n«- on and brbught the score to 3-3. Miss Beverley was too strong for Miss Attwood in the women’s singles* final Throughout the two sets Miss Beverlev caught Miss Attwood with shots which the latter could not anticipate. Miss Beverley did not seem able to handle Miss Attwood’s service. She played to Miss Attwood’s backhand wherever possible, and her returns showed excellent strategy. In the first game, Miss Attwood appeared nervous, but she recovered to take the second easily. Miss Beverlev maintained the lead until the tenth game, when they were 5-5. and Miss Attwood took the lead The men’s doubles final won bv Robson and O. M. Bold (Lower Hutt) from McKenzie and S. Painter (Wellington) was a fast match. Both pairs played most of the game from the net. and exchanges were fast. Misses Beverley and B. Potter (Auckland) did not have things all their own way, although their victory over Misses Attwood and M. Kerr (Otago) in the women’s doubles final was comparatively easy. McKenzie and Mrs J. McVay (Wellington) won comfortably against J. Barry (Auckland) and Miss Attwood in the combined doubles. Results:— Men’s Singles.—Final: J. E. Robson (Otago) beat R. S. McKenzie (Wellington), 7-5, 6-3. Women’s Singles.—Final: Miss M. Beverley (Auckland) beat Miss E. Attwood (Auckland),. 8-6, 6-4. Men’s Doubles.—Final: J. E. Robson and O. M. Bold (Lower Hutt) .beat R. S. McKenzie (Wellington) and S. Painter. 6-4, 6-5. Women’s Doubles.—Semi-finals: Misses M. Beverley (Waikato) and B. Potter (Auckland) beat Mesdames S. Painter and and J. McVay (Wellington), 6-3, 8-6; Misses E Attwood (Auckland) and M. Kerr (Otago) beat Misses V. Johnson and H. Redwood (Auckland). 6-3, 1-6, 6-1. Final: Misses M. Beverley and B. Potter (Auckland) beat Misses Attwood and M Kerr (Otago), 6-2, 6-2. Combined Doubles.—Semi-finals: R McKenzie and Mrs J. McVay (Wellington) beat J. E l Robson and Miss M. Kerr (Otago), 6-4, 10-8: J Barry and Miss E Attwood (Auckland) beat S. Painter and Mrs Painter (Wellington), 3-6, 9-7 6-2 Final; McKenzie and Mrs McVay beat Barry and Miss Attwood, 6-1, 6-3

Fire in Adelaide Cathedral.—A fire which the police believe was deliberately lit damaged the altar and sacristy in St. Francis Xavier’s Cathedral. Adelaide, before it was extinsuished with a garden hose. A welldressed man was seen to' leave the church before the outbreak, and an examination after the fire revealed that all. the statues in the Christmas crib had been knocked over.—Adelaide, December 30.